Four Winds

Suicide is the leading cause of death among First Nations youth in Canada1.

Four Winds

To promote life and reduce rates of self harm, Saskatchewan needs a holistic, community-minded approach to improving wellness in First Nations communities – and we all have a role to play4.

Four Winds: Improving access to youth mental health and addictions services

Indigenous youth in Saskatchewan are overcoming historical and systemic barriers to wellness, yet disparities in mental health and self-harm rates highlight the urgent need for culturally grounded, community-driven solutions.

While First Nations people make up 17% of Saskatchewan’s population, systemic inequities have contributed to gaps in mental health access and outcomes. First Nations youth aged 15-24 face suicide rates five times higher than non-Indigenous peers, underscoring the need for tailored, culturally safe supports. First Nations girls 15 and under experience self-harm hospitalization rates 10 times higher than other youth – a call to action for prevention, healing, and life promotion.

First Nations teenagers have the highest rates of hospitalization for self-harm and suicide in Saskatchewan5.

First Nations females 15 years old and under are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized for self-harm than other teenagers6.

Guided by reconciliation, sovereignty, Indigenous knowledges, and self-determination, we work alongside Indigenous communities to address systemic inequities, and foster hope, healing, and resilience for generations.

Four Winds was designed with the following principles in mind:

  • Community Connection & Leadership – prioritizing the voices of Indigenous communities in identifying needs and solutions
  • Cultural Responsiveness – Ensuring all initiatives are grounded in cultural safety, respect, and the revitalization of diverse Indigenous knowledges, wisdom, and traditions.
  • Accelerated Learning – Sharing insights and best practices from life promotion initiatives by Indigenous peoples.
  • Reconciliation Action – Acknowledging ongoing impacts of historical and contemporary harms by working in partnership to advance equitable health outcomes.

Our Approach

Community-Led Quality Improvement

Recognizing that each community has unique needs, Four Winds supports adaptive, community-led QI initiatives. We collaborate with First Nations and Métis partners to:

  • Assess local priorities and co-design solutions.
  • Provide tools, training, and resources tailored to community-identified goals.
  • Support the continuous improvement of community-led data collection processes and analysis.

Building Data Literacy & Honouring Indigenous Sovereignty

Indigenous partners have emphasized the importance of data sovereignty — the right of communities to own, interpret, and apply their own data. In response, Four Winds is committed to:

  • Co-developing data literacy training with Indigenous scholars, leaders, and institutions.
  • Supporting communities in collecting, analyzing, and reporting their own data to drive local solutions.
  • Engaging in ongoing dialogue to ensure data initiatives align with Indigenous self-determination and cultural values.

Honouring Resilience & Advancing Equity

Today, we’re partnering with First Nation and Métis leaders to:

  • Close disparities in suicide and self-harm rates through culturally rooted prevention.
  • Amplify community-led life promotion initiatives that restore hope and belonging.
  • Ensure every young Indigenous person has access to care that reflects their strengths, traditions, and diverse needs.

Our Partners

The work of Four Winds is guided by a collection of First Nations leaders and organizations passionate about establishing accessible, culturally responsive programs and services for children and youth.

Our partners in this journey include:

  • Thunderchild First Nation
  • James Smith Cree Nation
  • Onion Lake Cree Nation
  • Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation
  • Saskatoon Tribal Council
  • Athabasca Health Authority
  • Métis Nation Saskatchewan
  • Prince Albert Grand Council
  • Métis Nation Saskatchewan
  • Yellow Quill First Nation
  • Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation

Collaborate with us

If you share our commitment to reconciliation, Indigenous-led health innovation, and youth wellness, we invite you to collaborate with us. Together, we can build a future where every Indigenous young person thrives.

Whether you’re a community leader, health provider, or ally, you can:

  • Request community-led QI support for youth mental health initiatives.
  • Explore data sovereignty partnerships to strengthen local capacity.
  • Request facilitation support to using community generated data in improvement efforts.
  • Share your voice in shaping the future of Indigenous youth wellness.

You can get in touch with us here.

[1] Centre for Suicide Prevention, Mental health and suicide in Indigenous communities in Canada. 2018.

[2, 3, 5, 6] Saskatchewan Health Quality Council, Self-Harm and Suicide in First Nations Communities in Saskatchewan: Full Report. October 2022.

[4] Government of Canada, Suicide prevention in Indigenous communities. November 2023.